Happy International Women's Day to all of the incredible women I know!

Today marks a very special day because the world stops to recognise all of the women who are special to them and make a difference to the world we live in. This could be a friend, a family member, a colleague or simply someone you just find inspirational. It's also a time for everyone to stop and reflect on the amazing contribution women make to our lives.

When I stopped to reflect this morning, my thoughts drifted towards all of the amazing women who live in the bush. In many ways women have been the backbone of the Agricultural Industry for many, many years. I think it is so important to recognise that being a 'farmers wife' doesn't mean that you sit around sipping tea and eating scones with jam and cream all day - it is actually a very hard job for so many women! It may mean rising with the sun, feeding a tribe of people, running to town to pick up spare parts and supplies, helping move livestock or machinery, doing the bookwork, keeping the garden going because a little oasis is always good for the soul, washing the never ending pile of farm clothes, feeding the whole tribe again, back to the bookwork and the list goes on and on! Therefore the next time you hear someone say 'I'm just a farmers wife' make sure you recognise their contribution to their farm!

My thoughts also drifted very importantly to all of the amazing women I have roped into becoming Active Farmers trainers! Without all of these amazing women in country Tasmania, NSW and Qld our fantastic network would not exist! Almost every week these 'super women' run group fitness classes for their communities. They are providing an opportunity for their communities to reguarly come together, work on their physical health, have a laugh and a bit of fun! This naturally improves mental health and builds strong and resilient communities who look out for each other and have the strength to get through inevitable times.

Lastly, I cannot leave out the fantastic women in my family who are always there to help and support myself and our family so that I can give as much energy as possible into going and supporting Active Farmers!!!

Everyday I am inspired by women in the bush and our Active Farmers trainers, and today I urge you to reflect on the women who inspire you and let them know you are thinking about them :)

To each and every one of you, THANK YOU for being YOU!

Ginny :)

GM Active Farmers